APPROVED BYResolution No 1796 of 23 December 2009
of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania
(version of Resolution No 854 of 11 July 2012
of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania)

LITHUANIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH CENTRE
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS1. The Lithuanian Social Research Centre (hereinafter referred to as “the Centre”) is a state research institute. The legal form of the Centre is a budgetary establishment.
2. The founder of the Centre is the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. The Centre is a public legal person with a mission to conduct long-term research and experimental (social, cultural) development important for the State, the general public, international cooperation or economic entities in the areas defined by the Articles of Association herein. The Centre has its seal displaying the national emblem of the State of Lithuania and the name of the Centre, its logo and other attributes, as well as bank accounts.
3. The owner of the Centre is the Republic of Lithuania. The ownership rights and duties of the Centre shall be exercised by the Ministry of Education and Science (except for the statutory cases when the rights and duties of the owner shall be exercised by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania). The competencies of the Ministry of Education and Science as of the institution exercising the rights and duties of the owner of the Centre are laid down by the Law on Budgetary Institutions of the Republic of Lithuania (Valstybės žinios (Official Gazette) No 104-2322, 1995; No 15-699, 2010) and other legislation.
4. The Centre shall act in compliance with the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Higher Education and Research of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, 2009, No 54-2140), other legislation of the Republic of Lithuania and the Articles of Association herein.
5. The address of the head office of the Centre: A. Goštauto str. 11, Vilnius.

II. ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES, AREAS AND TYPES. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE CENTRE6. Activity objectives of the Centre are as follows:
6.1. to ensure the international-level competence of the state in the area of social sciences, to conduct long-term research and experimental (social, cultural) development of social, economic, demographic and cultural processes important for the sustainability and development of the national economy, social security, employment, culture, education and society in the area of social sciences;
6.2. to cooperate with representatives of business, the government and the general public, to carry out commissioned research and experimental (social, cultural) development, to render methodological, methodical and other assistance;
6.3. to participate in Lithuanian and international research programmes;
6.4. to consolidate Lithuanian modern sociological and economic research, to contribute to meeting the needs of national economic growth and development of excellent researchers;
6.5. to cooperate with higher education institutions in training of researchers and professionals;
6.6. to communicate scientific knowledge to the general public, to apply it in culture, education, social security as well as in social and economic activities, to contribute to the establishment of the economy based on innovations and knowledge, and to the development of a knowledge-intensive society;
6.7. to support creative collaboration with other Lithuanian and foreign higher education and research institutions and researchers;
6.8. to engage in expert examination of research and development projects/programmes and other expertise which complies with the respective competences of the Centre, to provide scientific consultations and training;
6.9. to develop theoretical, strategic and applied research in the areas of sociology, demography, human geography, social welfare, human resource development, professional standards, system of professional standards and qualifications, employment and labour market;
6.10. to provide innovative scientific knowledge to Lithuanian public policy makers and developers;
6.11. to conduct expert analysis of public policy projects of the state;
6.12. to bring together country’s economists, sociologists, demographers, human geographers and other professionals to promote a breakthrough and competitiveness of social sciences in the international scientific environment;
6.13. to ensure scientific innovation, high productivity and a wide range of applicability of research activities carried out in the Centre for the evaluation and projection of country’s socio-economic and demographic development.
7. The main fields of research of the Centre are sociology (code 05S) and economics (code – 04S) which encompass the following research lines:
7.1. Human social development research;
7.2. Social welfare research;
7.3. Socio-demographic research;
7.4. Employment and labour market research;
7.5. Ethno-social research.
8. The Centre shall engage in research and development activities in the area of social research.
9. The types of the Centre's activities are research and applied works of social sciences (code 72.20.20), as well as scientific, technical, professional and other activities related thereto for securing and performing the main activities (other types of activities) in accordance with the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities approved by Order No DĮ-226 (Official Gazette, 2007, No 119-4877) of 31 October 2007 of the Director General of the Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
10. The Centre shall have the following rights:
10.1. in compliance with laws and other legal acts, to determine its structure, internal working arrangements, the number of employees, their rights and duties, workpay conditions, job requirements, procedures for the organisation of competitions to fill positions and performance evaluation of employees;
10.2. to cooperate with Lithuanian and foreign legal entities in carrying out its mission;
10.3. to hold conferences, to publish scientific and other literature, as well as to choose methods for communicating the results of its research and experimental (social, cultural) development to the public;
10.4. to train high-level scientists and to assist in training of professionals together with universities in the procedure laid down by the Law on Higher Education and Research of the Republic of Lithuania;
10.5. to promote the use of the results of research and experimental (social, cultural) development in the economy, social and cultural life;
10.6. to carry out expert examinations, research and development, to provide scientific consultations and other services in its respective research area under contracts with Lithuanian and foreign legal and natural persons;
10.7. to enter in cooperation agreements and other kinds of agreements with higher education institutions, research institutes, international institutions, other establishments, organisations and enterprises;
10.8. to organise qualification improvement of Centre’s staff;
10.9. to organise traineeships for research workers and PhD students of the Centre in foreign countries;
10.10. to hold scientific events;
10.11. to market scientific production;
10.12. to independently deal with research, publishing, economic and financial affairs in compliance with the requirements prescribed by law;
10.13. to manage, use and dispose of property in the procedure laid down by law;
10.14. to acquire other rights and duties in accordance with the procedure laid down by law.
11. The Centre shall have the following duties:
11.1. to conduct research and development activities and to disseminate scientific knowledge;
11.2. to ensure academic freedom of members of the academic community;
11.3. to inform the founder, the Ministry of Education and Science and the public about quality assurance measures in research activities, financial and economic situation, and the use of funds;
11.4. to furnish in due time official information to institutions authorised by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (statistical data and relevant information) which is necessary for the management and monitoring of the higher education and research system;
11.5. to perform other obligations established by legal acts.
12. Provisions of Article 82 of the Law on Higher Education and Research of the Republic of Lithuania shall mutatis mutandis apply to the rights of the Centre and its employees to intellectual activity results.

III. MANAGEMENT BODIES OF THE CENTRE. POWERS, APPOINTMENT AND REVOCATION OF THE MANAGEMENT BODIES13. The management bodies of the Centre shall be the scientific council of the Centre (hereinafter referred to as “the Scientific Council“) and the director of the Centre.
14. The Scientific Council shall carry out the following functions:
14.1. approve action plans of the Centre;
14.2. on recommendation of the director of the Centre, consider and approve the structure of the Centre and changes therein, consider proposals of the director of the Centre regarding amendments to the Articles of Association of the Centre;
14.3. approve the procedure of performance evaluation of research staff members and of organisation of competitions to fill positions of research staff members, as well as consider appeals against performance evaluation results;
14.4. consider and approve documents regulating research activities of the Centre;
14.5. consider annual activity reports submitted by the director of the Centre and assess the progress of the Centre in implementing its tasks and objectives;
14.6. consider and submit to the director of the Centre proposals regarding cooperation between the Centre and higher education and research institutions, international organisations, other natural and legal persons, as well as regarding research and development activities;
14.7. on recommendation of the director of the Centre, consider and approve the documents regulating the work of open-access laboratories, Centre’s research activities, as well as internal rules relating to the property rights arising from intellectual activity results;
14.8. supervise and monitor compliance with the requirements laid down in the documents regulating the scientists’ undertaking of doctoral studies and the quality of their training;
14.9. on recommendation of the director of the Centre, set up standing or temporary commissions in relation to the coordination of research and development activities of the Centre and to the development of relevant projects;
14.10. draw up the Code of Academic Ethics and submit it for approval by the director of the Centre;
14.11. consider and adopt resolutions regarding further training and retraining of researchers and other research staff;
14.12. consider publications issued on behalf of the Centre and recommend them for publishing;
14.13. consider other documents regulating research activities and internal procedures;
14.14. consider and adopt research-related resolutions;
14.15. deal with other important issues in the area of research and development (social, cultural) activities of the Centre;
14.16. perform other functions laid down in the Articles of Association.
15. The Scientific Council of the Centre shall be set up for a period of five years from research staff members and administration employees, as well as from representatives of other establishments, enterprises and organisations which are interested in the implementation of the objectives of the Centre.
16. The Scientific Council shall be set up on the basis of the following principles:
16.1. the Scientific Council shall be composed of 15 members, of which at least 5 members shall be from outside the staff of the Centre. The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour shall each appoint one member to the Scientific Council;
16.2. election to the Scientific Council shall be called and organised by the director of the Centre in accordance with the elections regulation approved by the Scientific Council. Relevant information shall be published on the websites of the Centre and of the Research Council of Lithuania at least 2 months before the election;
16.3. research staff and administration employees of the Centre, as well as representatives of other establishments, enterprises and organisations which are interested in the implementation of the objectives of the Centre, shall be eligible to stand as candidates to the Scientific Council;
16.4. candidates shall be proposed by the research staff and administration employees of the Centre, as well as by legal persons interested in the implementation of the objectives of the Centre;
16.5. members to the Scientific Council shall be elected in secret ballot by the research staff of the Centre. All the eligible candidates shall be included in ballot papers.
17. The Scientific Council shall approve its rules of procedure. The Scientific Council shall elect the chairman to be responsible for the work of the Scientific Council. The chairman shall be elected from among the members of the Scientific Council in secret ballot by a simple majority of votes cast by at least 2/3 of the attending members of the Scientific Council. The director of the Centre may not be the chairman of the Scientific Council. The same person may be appointed to chair the Scientific Council for not more than two terms of office in succession. The deputy chairman and the secretary of the Scientific Council shall be elected from the candidates proposed by the chairman of the Scientific Council in open ballot by a simple majority of votes cast by the members of the Scientific Council.
18. The Scientific Council shall normally hold open meetings with an early notice of the meeting agenda. The Scientific Council may decide to hold a meeting in private. The members of the Scientific Council shall be given a notice of the meeting at least 5 working days before the meeting. The right to convene the meeting shall be vested upon the chairman of the Scientific Council, the director of the Centre or at least 1/3 of the members of the Scientific Council. The meeting shall be chaired by the chairman of the Scientific Council or a deputy chairman if the chairman is unable to attend the meeting.
19. Proposals made by the director of the Centre on the issues requiring the assent of the Scientific Council may be rejected by the Scientific Council if more than 2/3 of the attending members of the Scientific Council vote against the proposal. The director of the Centre may resubmit the proposal for approval by the Scientific Council at least one month after its original consideration by the Scientific Council. The Scientific Council may reject the resubmitted proposal if at least 3/4 of the attending members of the Scientific Council oppose to it. In this case, the director of the Centre may repeat the submission procedure at least six months after its repeated consideration. Unless rejected by the aforementioned majority of votes, the proposal of the director of the Centre must be signed as approved by the chairman of the Scientific Council.
20. Resolutions of the Scientific Council shall be deemed adopted when more than half of the attending members of the Scientific Council vote for them, except for the issues which are considered on a proposal by the director of the Centre in accordance with the Articles of Association of the Centre. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman of the Scientific Council shall have a casting vote. A meeting of the Scientific Council shall be valid if it is attended by at least half of all the members of the Scientific Council.
21. The director of the Centre shall act on behalf of the Centre and represent it. The director of the Centre shall be appointed through a public competition and dismissed by the Minister for Education and Sciences in compliance with the Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, No 64-2569, 2002), the procedure established by the Minister for Education and Science, other legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania and the Articles of Association herein. The term of office of the director of the Centre shall be 5 years.
22. The director of the Centre shall carry out the following functions:
22.1. ensure compliance of activities of the Centre with laws of the Republic of Lithuania, the Articles of Association of the Centre and other legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania;
22.2. issue orders, represent the Centre in relations with third persons;
22.3. recruit and dismiss employees of the Centre (except for cases in Article 25 below); announce the procedure for performance evaluation of employees and competitions to fill positions in the Centre;
22.4. adopt the rules of procedure of the Centre and regulations of its units;
22.5. set remuneration for work in accordance with law, impose disciplinary penalties and ensure a safe working environment for employees of the Centre;
22.6. submit proposals for consideration by the Scientific Council regarding the main research lines of the Centre and amendments to the Articles of Association of the Centre, approve and adjust Centre’s strategic action plans, annual activity reports, income and expenditure estimates, accountancy of fulfilment thereof, and other documents;
22.7. organise the self-assessment of Centre’s activities and, where appropriate, recommend carrying out an expert analysis of Centre’s performance;
22.8. submit proposals to the Ministry of Education and Science regarding amendment of the Articles of Association of the Centre;
22.9. assume responsibility for the financial activities, proper management, use and disposition of the assets of the Centre;
22.10. approve income and expenditure estimates of the Centre and the accountancy of implementation thereof;
22.11. control the implementation of research plans and programmes, as well as performance of contractual obligations;
22.12. organise coordination of research activities carried out by the Centre and cooperation with higher education and research institutions, including signing of cooperation agreements;
22.13. engage in the activities of the Scientific Council;
22.14. perform other functions of the head of an institution provided for in legal acts.
23. The director of the Centre may order delegation a part of his rights and duties to deputy directors and other employees of the Centre.
24. The Centre shall establish its units subject to approval by the Scientific Council.
25. A head of the unit of the Centre shall be appointed by the director of the Centre subject to Scientific Council’s assent.
26. The Centre shall carry out self-assessment of research activities on a regular basis.
27. The results of research works carried out in the Centre with funds of the state budget and other sources shall be communicated to the public to the extent this is in compliance with the legal acts regulating the protection of intellectual property, commercial or state and official secrets.
28. The Centre shall have a public supervisory institution – the Supervisory Council of the Centre.
29. The Supervisory Council of the Centre shall be composed of the representatives of establishments, enterprises and organisations which are interested in the implementation of the objectives of the Centre.
30. The procedure for setting up the Supervisory Council of the Centre and its composition shall be approved by the director of the Centre subject to recommendations of the Scientific Council.
31. The Supervisory Council of the Centre shall perform the following functions: consider the results of Centre’s activities and submit proposals to the director of the Centre and/or the Ministry of Education and Science regarding improvement of Centre’s activities. The Centre shall ensure working conditions for the Supervisory Council of the Centre and provide it with access to information about the activities of the Centre to the extent this in compliance with the legal acts regulating the protection of intellectual property, commercial or state and secrets.
32. The Supervisory Council of the Centre shall hold its meetings as least once in six months.

IV. STAFF OF THE CENTRE, THEIR RIGHTS, DUTIES AND LIABILITIES33. Staff of the Centre consists of research staff, administration and other employees.
34. Research staff members shall hold the positions of the chief researcher, senior researcher, researcher, junior researcher, and postdoctoral fellowship holder. The qualification requirements for the positions of research staff members shall be laid down by the Scientific Council in compliance with the Law on Higher Education and Research of the Republic of Lithuania, decrees of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and resolutions of the Research Council of Lithuania.
35. The composition and rules of procedure of administration staff of the Centre shall be approved by the director of the Centre.
36. The staff members of the Centre shall have the following rights and duties:
36.1. share in dealing and discussing any issues related to their competence, positions or job tasks;
36.2. participate in competitions for the implementation of research programmes and for securing support from higher education and research funds, as well as use the appropriated resources;
36.3. participate in competitions for traineeships in the Republic of Lithuania and abroad;
36.4. obtain from state institutions the information which is necessary for research work. (If such information is a state or official secret, it shall be furnished and used in accordance with the procedure laid down by legal acts);
36.5. participate in consideration of the Articles of Association of the Centre and draft activity plans of the Centre;
36.6. participate in various trade unions and associations, including those functioning abroad;
36.7. work independently or join creative groups;
36.8. independently publish their scientific works;
36.9. exercise other statutory rights and duties.
37. The staff members of the Centre shall be ensured all statutory rights and social guarantees, and created working conditions that meet occupational health and safety requirements.
38. The staff of the Centre related to research activities must:
38.1. develop scientific qualifications in the research areas set out in the Articles of Association;
38.2. perform the duties and functions laid down in the Articles of Association;
38.3. observe the Code of Academic Ethics;
38.4. observe the law, other regulations, the Articles of Association and the rules of procedure of the Centre.
39. The staff of the Centre shall be liable for their activities under the law.

V. SOURCES OF FUNDS OF THE CENTRE. USE OF ASSETS AND FUNDS40. The Centre shall manage, use and dispose of the state assets transferred to it under a trust agreement in compliance with the procedure and under conditions laid down by law.
41. The Centre shall have the following funding sources:
41.1. resources of the basic funding of the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania;
41.2. funds of state investment programmes and state investment projects;
41.3. income received from economic and research activities, as well as received as payment for the services rendered;
41.4. funds received as competition-based programme funding of research;
41.5. resources of state funds;
41.6. funds appropriated by international and foreign funds and organisations;
41.7. funds received as charity under the Law on Charity and Sponsorship of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, No 21-506, 1993; No 61-1818, 2000);
41.8. other funds received in legal ways.
42. The Centre shall plan and use all its funds in accordance with statutory procedures. Income and expenditure of the Centre shall be handled in the statutory procedure in accordance with the approved estimates.
43. Control of financial activities of the Centre shall be carried out by authorised state institutions and agencies in accordance with the procedures laid down in applicable legislation.

VI. FINAL PROVISIONS44. The Articles of Association of the Centre and amendments thereof shall be approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
45. Draft amendments to the Articles of Association of the Centre shall be submitted to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania by the Ministry of Education and Science in accordance with the procedures laid down in applicable legislation.
46. The Centre shall place its public notices on the website of the Centre: www.lstc.lt. Notices of competitions to fill positions and of elections to the Scientific Council shall be also published on the website of the Research Council of Lithuania: www.lmt.lt.